1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to support stands and more particularly to a multi-positionable support stand having a movable center of gravity for supporting an article in two or more dispositions either independently or in combination with an article holder which can be selectively interlocked with the support stand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The term "article" hereinafter refers to a planar type object which the user desires to mount on the stand such as a picture, mirror or chart as well as those objects, both modified and unmodified, such as watches, jewelry, paintable items, printed circuit boards and so forth which thru the cooperation of a variety of interlocking object holding means may be removably mounted on the multi-positionable support stand.
The term "hold" hereinafter refers to the ability to maintain a mounted article on a support stand either by a restraining means which is an integral part of the stand itself or via the cooperation of the stand's mounting means with a variety of interlocking, removably mountable article holders which are capable of either permanently or temporarily restraining an article.
The term "article holder" hereinafter refers to that type of device which is adapted to hold an article, such as in the form of a clamp, vise, heat sink, threaded rod or the like, as well as conventional articles and article support devices, such as will be described, which are modified in accordance with the principles of this invention.
Article support stands for supporting an article or article holder are well-known in the art and come in a variety of configurations and structure.
To my knowledge the most recent art which is somewhat related to the inventive concepts of this application can be found in two of my previous applications the disclosures of which are herby incorporated by reference. The first application, has been issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,595 and is entitled "Multi-positionable Document Support Stand and Interlocking Document Holder". The second application, filed Nov. 18, 1988 is currently copending. These two disclosures do not, however, provide for multi-positionable stands which cooperate with an assortment of interchangeable workholders, nor does the issued patent provide for shifting the center of gravity when the stand is placed in different rest positions. Furthermore, the previous disclosures do not present a multi-positionable article support stand which has both a permanently attached article holder, such as a stand for holding pictures, which further includes a means to shift the center of gravity with each new rest position of the stand.
The inadequacy of other multi-positionable article support stands having fixed sides has resulted in stands which present articles at similar angles, no matter what the stands purpose. The need for stability in different dispositions has required that the stand must be manufactured within certain angular limits. The advantages of presenting a mounted article at various angles on the same stand having fixed sides have been unrecognized.
For example, current workholding devices require much adjustment and realignment when working on an article. No current work stand permits the repositioning (without adjustment) of a firmly mounted article, such as a figure or model to be painted, allowing the article to be placed in a different disposition, and yet maintaining the stability of the stand if the respective angular dispositions are considerably different.
A further disadvantage of current support stands for holding a workpiece is that they do not provide for a common supporting means for mounting and accurately repositioning a selection of different article holders on both stationary and multi-positionable workholding stands. Although slots are available on stands such as drill presses they are limited in that they are simply used to hold a workholding piece such as a vice. The vice must be readjusted each time a new angle is desired.
The state of the art prior to the present invention required that the manufacturer of multi-positionable stands plan for the weight distribution of parts and how they related to function in order to make certain that the stand would remain stable in all dispositions.
Another important disadvantage of conventional support stands is that they are limited in the degree of angularity and stability which they can provide to removably mountable article holders.
It may be desirable to display an article by means of a stable stand having fixed sides and various angles of presentation. For example, a stand which can present a picture not only in both landscape and portrait views but also at two different angular orientations with respect to the horizontal in each respective view. Such a stand would provide for a different angle of viewing depending whether the stand were at workbench level or if it were on a high shelf where a larger viewing angle with the horizontal would be desirable. Current stands trying to achieve such a purpose would topple if the respective angles were considerably dissimilar. Current stands do not provide for moving the center of gravity when necessary in order to insure stability in different dispositions.
Many conventional stands such as easel type stands for supporting articles like pictures or mirrors are designed to rest on a workbench or table top, and to support the article at a mounting angle to the horizontal.
One of the primary disadvantages of many conventional multi-positionable article support stands is that they are limited in the degree of angularity and stability which they can provide to the mounted article.
For example, picture stands of the plexiglass type are often small, having a small "footprint" and light in weight and thus are often capable of supporting a picture in only one disposition (portrait or landscape view). However, when a stand is required to provide support both in the landscape disposition (long side of stand lies horizontally) as well as in the portrait disposition (short side of stand lies horizontally) the physical forces which are present require that the stand be larger, having a larger footprint, to provide adequate support. Additionally, the combination of a lightweight stand and dual disposition support requirements results in limiting the angles of inclination which can be used in order that the stability of the stand in both dispositions is maintained.